(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
“ the Act ” means the Education Act 1996;
“the associated documents” means the documents published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, setting out any levels of attainment, attainment targets and end of key stage descriptions in relation to the foundation subjects, which documents have effect by virtue of the respective section 356(2)(a) and (b) orders for those subjects for the time being in force ;
“attendance record” means the record of a pupil’s school attendance contained in the attendance register kept in accordance with section 434 of the Act and the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995 ;
“core subjects” means English, mathematics, and science;
“education welfare officer” means any person who is employed by a local education authority and whose duties include securing the regular attendance at school of pupils of compulsory school age;
“external marking agency” means a body nominated by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (or by any successor body to that Authority) and approved by the Secretary of State to mark NC tests;
“foundation subjects” means art, geography, history, a modern foreign language specified in an order by the Secretary of State , music, physical education, technology and any core subject;
“ GCE ‘A’ level examinations” and “ GCE ‘AS’ examinations” mean General Certificate of Education advanced level examinations and General Certificate of Education advanced supplementary examinations respectively;
“ GCSE ” means the General Certificate of Secondary Education;
“ IB ” means the International Baccalaureate Diploma;
“key stage” means any of the periods set out in paragraphs (a) to (d) respectively of section 355(1) of the Act, and a reference to the first, second, third or fourth key stage is a reference to the periods set out respectively in the said paragraphs (a) to (d);
“maintained school” means—
any county or voluntary school;
any maintained or grant-maintained special school (other than one established in a hospital); and
any grant-maintained school;
“NC tasks” means National Curriculum standard tasks administered to pupils pursuant to article 5 of the Education (National Curriculum) (Assessment Arrangements for the Core Subjects) (Key Stage 1) (England) Order 1995 ;
“NC tests” means National Curriculum tests administered to pupils to assess the level of attainment which they have achieved in any core subject being tests laid down in provisions made by the Secretary of State under orders made under section 356(2)(c) of the Act which have been published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office;
“school day” means a day on which the school meets;
“section 356(2)(a) and (b) orders” means orders made under section 356(2)(a) and (b) of the Act specifying attainment targets and programmes of study;
“the statutory arrangements” means assessment arrangements specified by orders made under section 356(2)(c) of the Act;
“teacher assessment” means assessment of a pupil’s level of attainment in an attainment target or foundation subject by the pupil’s teacher as specified in the statutory arrangements;
“vocational qualification” includes a credit towards such a qualification; and
“the 1995 (Key Stage 1) Order ” means the Education (National Curriculum) (Assessment Arrangements for the Core Subjects) (Key Stage 1) Order 1995 ;
“the 1995 (Key Stage 2) Order ” means the Education (National Curriculum) (Assessment Arrangements for the Core Subjects) (Key Stage 2) (England) Order 1995 ;
“the 1996 (Key Stage 3) Order ” means the Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 3 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 1996 ;
references to levels, attainment targets and end of key stage descriptions are references to, respectively, the levels of attainment, attainment targets and end of key stage descriptions set out in the associated documents.
(2) In these Regulations a reference to an attainment target or foundation subject from which a pupil is exempt is to an attainment target or foundation subject which does not apply to a pupil by virtue of any regulations made under section 363 of the Act , provision made pursuant to section 364 of the Act in the pupil’s statement of special educational needs made under section 324 of the Act or a direction given by the head teacher pursuant to regulations made under section 365 of the Act .
(3) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to a regulation in, or a Schedule to, these Regulations so numbered and any reference to a paragraph is to a paragraph of the regulation or Schedule in which the reference is made, and any reference to a sub-paragraph is a reference to a sub-paragraph of the paragraph in which the reference is made.